Having conversations about pay can be a little uncomfortable, but the alternative is a lot of wasted time and effort. According to a recent study from Adzuna, in the last five years, US workers wasted a total of 480 million hours applying for jobs with the wrong salary. To avoid this problem, start with research. Understand the role and what’s expected. The more information you have, the better. Then discuss salary with your potential employer; it’s not taboo. People must ask, “How can we move the conversation to be able to openly discuss salary and change it from a taboo to a norm? And that shouldn’t be a difficult conversation,” says Paul Lewis, chief marketing officer at Adzuna. “It should just be two adults having an open discussion about something that matters on both sides.” Be straightforward, prepare a counteroffer, and know exactly what you’re asking for.